Ba Jin's ex-residence goes on WeChat

Ba Jin's former residence is loated at 113 Wukang Road in the Xuhui district of Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua]

Internal display of Ba Jin's former residence. [Photo/Xinhua]

While touring the former residence of Ba Jin in Shanghai on Jan 22, some tourists were surprised to find that the institute had set up a public WeChat account to share information like historical materials and reading experience on Ba Jin.

The house, located at 113 Wukang Road in the Xuhui district of Shanghai, was originally built in 1923 in Spanish style. Ba Jin,one of the most important and widely read Chinese writers of the 20th century,lived there from 1955.

His former residence officially opened to the public on Dec 1, 2011, and it turns into a tourist attraction when the wintersweet flowers blossom each year.

The news that Ba Jin's former residence had created a WeChat account quickly triggered a public discussion on the protection and utilization of former residences of celebrities, as well as their function on improving public cultural services.

In fact, except for a portion of former residences of celebrities which enjoy high popularity and are under government protection and development, most of them are not given due attention and are less attractive to tourists.

Zhu Minyan, deputy director of Shanghai literature and history committee, said relying just on old houses will not attract people and only through the combinations of the celebrities' life stories, activities, works and the current situation can cultural benefits be exploited fully.

The administrators cannot just play a role of the custodian. Depending on the condition of the property, the former residences can serve more social and cultural functions, such as library, academic seminar, and platform for cultural exchanges, according to Sun Yu, dean of School of Liberal Arts of Rennin University of China.

Some experts said the management, the funding, and improvement of public cultural services are also important questions that should be taken into serious consideration on the topic regarding the protection and utilization of former residences of celebrities.